Triple premiership champions will be the tag the Ocean Grove is hoping to carry when Midweek Pennant bowls grand final action kicks off next Tuesday, March 29.
The Division 1 defending champions steamrolled Torquay in their qualifying final at Belmont earlier in the week.
“We have made it to the big dance and it was a great team performance in the first final,” team manager Dave Meeny said.
“Now it’s all about finishing the season with a premiership.”
Ocean Grove will await either Torquay or City of Geelong who will go head to head on Thursday with the grand final to be played at Eastern Park.
Both Ocean Grove’s Division 5 and 6 topped the ladder in their divisions which earned them a home final.
Making the most of their home ground advantage, both sides controlled their semi-finals to advance to this season’s showdown.
Nola Curran, Peter Corcoran, Ken Harrigan and skipper Maureen Harris dominated with a massive match winning 30 to 11 rink win to ensure the Fives kept their season alive. They will now meet Drysdale in the grand final.
Heather Allan notched up game number 100 in the Ocean Grove colours and was able to celebrate with her teammates with an eight-shot semi-final win over Highton. The win has now set up a meeting with Geelong with both Division 5 and 6 grand finals being played at Queenscliff.
As in bowls there are always winners and those not so successful on the day and this was the case for the Grove Division 3 and 7 sides. Both teams travelled with the Threes at Anglesea and the Sevens at Portarlington. Both were unable to clinch the victory with the home sides too powerful on the day.
Saturday finals action gets underway tomorrow with Ocean Grove again well represented.
The Grove’s number one side topped the ladder and will meet with defending champions Highton at Belmont.
“It’s been a good season to date but the hard work starts now,” captain Peter Loe said.
The final home and away match for Division 1 was played at Leopold and with a spot in the finals on the line, Alan Callow said his side had everything to play for.
“We managed to get enough points to hold onto a spot in the four and there will be a few nervous sides that we made it,” he said.
“Our best can shake this division up.”
Ocean Grove takes on minor premier St Leonards at St Leonards.
Two other Saturday teams have earned the right to have a crack at a premiership.
Division 3 needs to overcome the challenges of Geelong RSL while Division 5 will host Bannockburn.
Champion triples
St Leonards Bowls Club proved to be a happy hunting ground for six Ocean Grove players on Sunday March 20 as they took out both the Ladies and Men’s Geelong Bowls Region Triples Championships.
Dawn Smith, Faye Bowyer and skipper Jenny Keep prevailed against a composite team skipped by City of Geelong’s Mia Nowasad.
Matt Flapper, Peter Loe and Brad Pavey overcame last year’s state triples champions from Queenscliff on an extra end before taking control of the final against Highton’s triple skipped by current GBR Champion of Champions Dan Priddle.
Both teams will now head to Bendigo on May 6 to compete for a state championship.
